Latch.



L,- E- EDGAR & W. W. RICHARDS.

LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, l9l4- Patented Feb. 19, 1918..

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LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

- Application filed May 7, 1914. Serial No. 836,879.

I To all whom it may concern:

- a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to latches, and has for'its object to provide a concealed latch,

'- andparticularly a latch the operating means for which shall be flush or substantially flush with the part to which it may be attached. A further object is toprovide operating means for such a latch which shall be accessible even though the latch spring breaks or fails to operate from any cause. A further object is to inclose the operating entering the opening therefor and also to form a guard to prevent injury to the fingers when said means are operated.

A further and important object of the invention isthe prevention of accidents when the invention is applied to automobiles. With a latch the operating means for which protrudes, a passenger alighting from an automobile may catch his clothes on the protruding part and be thrown. If the automobile is in motion, a serious accident may result. Protruding'operating means also are liable to catch and break the fingers when a door is opened hastily or when one is entering or leaving the automobile. It is evident, moreover, that aprotruding operating means always presents the possibility of the door being opened when the automobile is moving, by anything striking the operating means. Passengers changing seats, or a child movingabout may operate the latch to open the door and cause a ser1ous accident.

Applicants operating means obviates these difficulties as it has no protruding parts but lies flush with the surface of the door.

Other and further objects of our invention will be apparent from the following description, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation,

Fig. 2 is a plan View; and

Fig. 3 a view in elevation of a modified embodiment.

' roller thereon) is adapted to move.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

Although our latch is adapted for various uses, it is particularly advantageous for use in connection with automobile bodies'of the so-called flowing-line type, which are designed to present a smooth surface without projections. On this type'of body, hinges and other parts, with the exception of the door latches, are flush or concealed. A form oi latch suitable for such use, has not, to our knowledge, yet been devised. Those at present known are difiicult to manipulate, uncertain in action, impossible to operate if the spring or other parts thereof get out of order and when setvin place have such an exterior shape as to render the door liable to accidental manipulation. We have been able to overcome these difficulties in our new latch as will appear from the following description thereof.

The latch bolt may be of any desired type and mounted on either of the parts to be secured together. The well-known sliding type of bolt mounted on the moving part is shown for purposes of illustration, as designated at 1. Such a bolt generally is provided with a beveled edge 2 and is adapted to slide in suitable guideways provided therefor, or between roller guides as indicated at 3. The bolt normally is projected by a spring, an

example of which is-indicated at 5 and as having one end secured to a fixed part as pin 6 and the other end to the bolt 1 as at pin 4. Anoperating piece 7 is provided, which, in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, is mounted on the side of the door, preferably within easy reach of the thumb or of the fingers when the hand is placed on the top of the door; or, in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3, is mounted on the top of the door.

The operating piece illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 is secured approximately at its center on a spindle 8. Said spindle is connected to bolt 1 in any desired manner, as by one or more links 9 which are shown as having one end fixed on spindle 8 and the other end provided with a slot in which pin 4 (or a The operating piece illustrated in Fig. 3, is journaled on a spindle 10, and is connected to bolt 1 in any desired manner, as by links 11, 12, and 13, the latter of which is provided with a slot in which pin 14 (or a roller thereon) is adapted to move. r

The operating'piece is inclosed by a casing 15 (Figs. 1 and 2) or a cas1ng 16 (Fig. 3) to keep dust from the operating partsand to prevent injury to the fingers when said piece is operated. I

The operation of our latch is believed to be obvious from the foregoing descrlption. When mounted on the side of an automobile door and near the top thereof in the manner described above (Figs. 1 and 2), the hand is placed on the top of the door in natural position for swinging it open. The fingers or the thumb as the case may be, wlll engage the finger hold 7 of operating p ece -7, and bya natural squeezing action swing operating piece 7 on its pivot, thereby retracting bolt 1. If the spring breaks or fails to project the bolt after it thus has been retracted, bolt 1 may be projected by means of its tail piece 7 which protrudes when the bolt is retracted. The operating piece is enlarged at 7 to prevent dust entering the casing and to prevent injury to the hand. The operating piece 7 illustrated in Fig. 3 has its tail piece 7 bent, which obviates any protruding parts when said piece is operated to retract the bolt. The operating piece illustrated by F ig.2'may be used on the top of the door in connection with the construction illustrated by Figs. 3, or the operating piece shown by Fig- 3 may be used on the side of the door in connection with the construction illustrated by Fig. 2.

It is evident that many modifications of our invention will be apparent to those skilled in the'art, without departing from the scope thereof or from the scope of our claims, and that any desired locking means may be added if deemed advisable, it being the intent to provide a latch substantially flush, or concealed, which may be operated even though the latch spring becomes inoperative from any cause. I 7

Having disclosed one embodiment of our invention what we claim is:

1. In combination, a door, and a. frame therefor, a latch within said door, and means to operate said latch comprising an elongated finger piece substantially flush when in normal position with the surface of the part in which the latch is adapted to be mounted one end of which when operated moves the bolt in one direction and the other end of which when operated moves the bolt in the other direction.

2.In combination, a door, and a frame therefor, a latch within said door, and means to operate said latch comprising an elongated operating piece substantially flush when in normal position with the surface of the part in which the latch is adapted to be erable actuating member for said latch i,ase,eee

mounted one end of which when operated moves the sprihg-pressed bolt in one direction and the other end of Which when operated moves the bolt in the other direction. I

3. In combination, a door, and a frame therefor, said door containing a springpressed bolt. provided with a pin, a slotted link engaging said pin, an operating piece substantially flush 'with the surface of the door in which said latch is mounted, and means to connect said link ing piece.

4. In combination, a door, and a frame therefor, said door containing a springpressed bolt provided with a pin, a slotted link engaging said pin, an axle fixed to said link and an operating piece fixed to said axleand substantiallyflush with the surface of the door in which said latch is mounted.

5. In combination, a door, and aframe thelefor, said door containing a springpressed bolt provided with a pin, a slotted link engaging said pin, an axle fixed to said link, an operating piece fixed to said axle and substantially flush with the surface of the door in which said latch is mounted, and

means on said operating piece to operate said bolt if the latch spring becomes inoperative.

6. In combination, a door, and a frame therefor, said door containing a spring pressed bolt provided with a pin, a slotted link engaging said pin, an axle fixed to said link, andmeans on said axle substantially flush with the surface of the door in which said latch is mounted adapted to operate said bolt in either direction. a

7. In combination, a door member and a. fixed member, a sliding latch mounted in one of said members and adapted to engage the othento secure the door, and a manually opnormally lying flush with the member within which the latch is mounted and moving at right angles to the direction of movement of the latch.

8. In combinatioma door member and a fixed member, a sliding latch mounted in one i of said members and adapted to engage the other to secure the door, and a manually operable actuating member for said latch normally lying flush with the member within which the latch is mounted, and moving at right angles to the-direction of movement of the latch, and means whereby depression of said member will actuate the latcl 9. In combination, a door member and a fixed member, a sliding latch mounted in one of said members and adapted to engage the other to secure the door, and a pivoted actuating plate for said latch normally lying flush with the member within which the latch is mounted and moving at right angles to the direction of, movement of the latch.

10. In combination, a door and a frame therefor, a latch Within said door, a flat In testimony that we claim the foregoing plate movably supported on the side of said we have hereunto set our hands.

door Within reach of fingers grasping the LINDEN E. EDGAR.

upper edge thereof, and normally lying flush W'ALTER 'W. RICHARDS. 5 with the door surface, and means connecting Witnesses:

said plate and latch whereby depression of P. E, STRICKLAND,

the former will actuate the latter. R. H. RAWLEIGH 

